Iíve just finished reading the sadly amusing letter of Barreís Thomas F. Koch (presumably no relation to the nefarious Koch brothers who are trying to buy the current presidential election), in which he accuses The Times Argus of being mean and unfair to Republicans who, he says, do care and have always cared deeply for the less fortunate members of our society.

This may be so, Mr. Koch, but then why does the GOP always fight tooth and nail against any small increase in the minimum wage? And why did Republicans try everything in their power, back in the day, to subvert the implementation of the 40-hour workweek and the creation of Social Security?

Letís take former Vice President Dick Cheney as a more current example of the GOP social conscience. When Cheney, an undisputed paragon of Republican values, was in Congress he actually voted against funding Head Start, a program specifically aimed at giving underprivileged children a level playing field when they go to school (and a program designed to help teachers to be more effective in the classroom by having more teachable pupils).

Say what you want, Mr. Koch, but if you truly think Republicans care deeply for the less fortunate, I say you are laboring under a laughable delusion.